THE APPROPRIABILITY METHODS OF INNOVATIVE SMEs: THE CASE OF METU TECHNOPARK

Date

2024-10

Author

Barlas Yılmaz, Birce

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SMEs play a vital role in the economy through their innovative activities, yet there is a notable gap in research focusing on their specific choices of appropriability methods and the rationale behind these choices. Appropriability methods provide mechanisms for controlling access to knowledge and could offer either temporary or, in the case of trade marks, lasting monopoly power over innovations. Formal methods include exclusive rights such as patent, utility model, industrial design, copyright, trade mark. On the other hand, informal methods, consist of first-mover advantage, lead-time advantage, complementary sales, and trade secret etc. This thesis investigates which, and why appropriability methods SMEs prefer in their innovation activities. The thesis, conducted at METU Technopark in Ankara, involved semistructured in-depth interviews with 29 innovative SMEs. As a result of qualitative analysis, the thesis revealed the usage ranking of different appropriability methods and the factors influencing these choices. Overall, interviewed SMEs actively engage with appropriability methods, often utilize at least one of the formal and informal methods. Among the 29 SMEs located in METU Technopark, 28 have trade mark applications, and all have non-disclosure agreements signed with either their employees or the firms they collaborate with on v several projects. SMEs’ main motivations for employing these methods, particularly for IPR are “commercial exploitation” and “prevention of imitation”. The nature of knowledge embedded in innovation such as tacit / codified also influences method choices. However, challenges such as difficulties in commercializing patented products due to a lack of complementary assets and inadequate infrastructure reduce the effectiveness of these methods.

Subject Keywords

Appropriability methods, METU Technopark, SMEs, challenges, and effects of appropriability methods

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/111547

Collections

Graduate School of Social Sciences, Thesis